Having a Baby Before Marrying a Wicked Husband - Chapter 93

The secret that Yan Cai didn’t know was revealed that night.

It turned out that after Jiang Manyue went to go to court that day,  Jiang Nan intercepted him after the morning assembly.

“Wait a minute. Don’t leave yet.”

Jiang Nan was accustomed to giving orders at home, and naturally, he couldn’t change his tone when facing Jiang Manyue. Moreover, deep down, he believed that he was the father and Jiang Manyue was the son. The father was like the sky to the son, and the son should listen to him.

This impolite tone naturally drew a cold look from Jiang Manyue, and he couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to it, so he simply side-stepped Jiang Nan and continued walking. After being ignored, Jiang Nan was furious.

Of all his sons, this one has worst temperament and was the most stubborn. When he was young, Jiang Nan could control him, but as he grew older, there was no way to reason with him.

“You stop right there!” Jiang Nan raised his voice, startling the other officials on the road. Everyone turned their curious and doubtful eyes toward the father and son. Judging from their posture, they were probably preparing to watch a good show.

But Jiang Nan had no intention of putting on a show for these people and quickly pretended as if nothing had happened. Seeing that they had been caught peeking, the others felt embarrassed and unwillingly left, hiding their curiosity in their hearts.

“Come with me, I have something to say.”

Seeing that Jiang Nan wouldn’t give up until he achieved his goal, Jiang Manyue didn’t immediately leave. Otherwise, he reckoned that Jiang Nan would follow him all the way home. So he had to compromise for the time being.

“If you have something to say, just say it here.” Jiang Manyue stood in the center, a position where all the officials leaving the morning assembly could see.

This place was too public for discussing matters. It wasn’t the location Jiang Nan had in mind. However, he knew Jiang Manyue’s bad temper. If he insisted on changing the location, Jiang Manyue would just ignore him and leave.

“I’ve arranged a marriage for you…”

As soon as he started speaking, Jiang Manyue’s eyes, sharp as knives, swept over. He sneered, “Oh, a marriage? Lord Minister really knows how to joke. I don’t know what relationship I have with Lord Minister that would require him to arrange a marriage for me. What a joke.”

“You!” Jiang Nan patted his chest. Talking to this son of his would eventually shorten his life by ten years. Jiang Nan calmed himself down and reluctantly tried to speak to Jiang Manyue in a calm and gentle manner.

“I’m serious. I have a good marriage proposal for you; it’s the daughter of Commander Zhang. She’s noble, well-educated, and refined, unlike the previous…”

Jiang Manyue interrupted him.

“I am already married, and the marriage was arranged by Madam Fu years ago. But in just a short couple of years, has Lord Minister had already become so forgetful?” Jiang Manyue scoffed, “I also have a young son at home, clever and adorable. Is Lord Minister truly losing his mind?”

Jiang Nan’s expression turned ugly. Normally, he would have walked away long ago, but today, he was unusually patient, enduring Jiang Manyue’s taunts. It’s worth noting that there were many passersby, some even slowed down their pace just to listen to the father and son quarrel.

They all had gossipy hearts.

“I apologize to you. It was your mother’s negligence…”

“My mother passed away when I was young. I don’t know which mother you’re talking about. Lord Minister, don’t falsely attach a mother to me. Even if my birth mother were in heaven, she wouldn’t forgive those who impersonate her.”

“That’s enough! I’m talking to you about serious matters, stop interrupting. I’ll ask you one question: Do you want to divorce your current spouse and marry someone else?”

“You made a mistake.” Jiang Manyue shook his head, correcting the issue seriously, “It’s only up to him to divorce me, not the other way around. You’ve forgotten, when I left the Jiang family years ago, I made it clear. I married into the Yan family.”

“You have no shame!” Jiang Nan glanced around, afraid that others might hear Jiang Manyue’s words. If others heard his son admit that he married into another family, he’d be so ashamed.

This guy could actually say such things blushing. So shameless!

“Who is the one lacking shame here?” Jiang Manyue glanced knowingly at Jiang Nan. “What is your purpose?”

Jiang Nan stomped his foot, glaring at Jiang Manyue. “What… what purpose?” He stuttered, seeming unusually flustered.

“You’ve always detested military officials, considering them simple-minded brutes with nothing but brawn. You never bothered to associate with them. But this time, you’re willing to compromise your pride to arrange a marriage with Commander Zhang of the Royal Forest Army. I don’t believe there’s no conspiracy behind this.”

Jiang Manyue laid it out plainly, and Jiang Nan’s expression changed immediately, though he quickly concealed it, the momentary guilt couldn’t be hidden.

This old guy is indeed hiding something fishy. Unfortunately, Jiang Manyue had no interest in dealing with him any further. He had no intention of using his relationship with Yan Cai just to pry out the old man’s secrets.

“Whatever you’re up to, just don’t even think about scheming against me. Since I married into Yan Cai’s family, I belong to him in life and death. Through thick and thin, till death do us part.”

In front of Jiang Nan, Jiang Manyue’s words became increasingly provocative. Jiang Nan’s face turned red with anger. Fortunately, most of the court officials who had attended the morning assembly had already left, so there weren’t many people who could hear Jiang Manyue’s words. Otherwise, Jiang Nan would have rushed over and covered Jiang Manyue’s mouth.

“How shameless. You’re supposed to be a man, how can you say such disgraceful words? Huh, it’s indeed the kind of thing lowly people like you do. Spending too much time with lowly people, have you learned their despicable ways of speaking?”

This sentence struck a chord with Jiang Manyue. He could tolerate Jiang Nan insulting him, but he couldn’t tolerate Jiang Nan insulting Yan Cai even a little bit. Jiang Manyue reached out his hand, showing signs of wanting to resort to violence, when suddenly, a cold voice sounded from behind.

“Lord Jiang, mind your words!”

Jiang Manyue’s hand recoiled as he looked up to see the Emperor with his graying beard. He admitted he had deliberately quarreled with Jiang Nan here. There was a good chance the Emperor would pass by here. Initially, he just wanted the Emperor to hear Jiang Nan’s vile words to diminish the Emperor’s favorable opinion of Jiang Nan.

But when Jiang Nan insulted Yan Cai… Jiang Manyue’s eyes darkened. He lowered his head, bowed to the Emperor, and concealed all the darkness and bitterness on his face, leaving no trace.

When he raised his head again, he looked like an innocent victim.

The Emperor noticed Jiang Manyue’s somewhat pale complexion, assuming it was due to his inability to confront Jiang Nan openly because of their father-son relationship.

To be honest, the Emperor was a father himself. He had a few disobedient sons under him, so naturally, he believed that sons should obey their fathers. Therefore, even though he might find Jiang Nan somewhat overbearing and arrogant, he believed Jiang Nan was the father, so Jiang Manyue should yield to him.

This kind of thinking was normal for the Emperor. Being a father himself, he naturally sided with the father.

In his view, even if a father had many faults, a son shouldn’t rebel against his father. That was against the natural order!

Because, knowing that Jiang Manyue and Jiang Nan were father and son, and that Jiang Manyue had severed ties with the Jiang family and cut off relations with Jiang Nan, the Emperor did not approve of it.

He once imagined himself in the same situation. If any of his own sons were to sever ties with him, disown him as their father, he would have no choice but to chop off that son’s head.

However, this time, Jiang Nan’s insults were directed at Yan Cai.

This time, the Emperor couldn’t tolerate it. It was acceptable to scold your own son; after all, it was the duty of a father to discipline his son. But insulting Yan Cai was unacceptable.

He considered Yan Cai his little brother, and for this old man to turn around and insult Yan Cai as a lowly person? Where did he get the audacity?

He had such a good relationship with Yan Cai, calling him a little brother, yet this old guy dared to call Yan Cai a lowly person. Didn’t that make him the brother of a lowly person?

He had the nerve to drag him into it too!?

“Shut up! Yan Cai is a close friend of mine. How dare you speak about him?” the Emperor pointed at Jiang Nan and scolded.

Jiang Nan’s face turned pale, completely unprepared for his words to be heard by the Emperor, let alone the Emperor speaking up for Yan Cai. Was he still half asleep, hearing things wrong…?

Although he knew that Yan Cai had treated the Emperor’s illness, Jiang Nan had never taken it seriously. After all, it had been two or three months since the assassination attempt, and the Emperor hadn’t made a move.

Jiang Nan thought the matter had passed, but he didn’t expect the Emperor not only remembered Yan Cai but also considered him a close friend. When did this happen? How did he not know…

“Your Majesty, I didn’t mean it that way. I just have some dissatisfaction with this son-in-law…”

“Dissatisfaction? What are you dissatisfied with?” the Emperor interrupted him.

Jiang Nan fell silent. He realized that now was not the time to criticize Yan Cai. Judging from the Emperor’s stance, he was obviously taking Yan Cai’s side, so Jiang Nan didn’t dare to say anything more and pretended to be dumb in an attempt to pass it off.

But how could the emperor let him off the hook so easily.

“I heard it. Did you call him a lowly person? I am good friends with Yan Cai, he is a lowly person, then what does that make me, a lowly person’s friend?”

“Your Majesty…” Jiang Nan knelt down, continuously kowtowing. He realized he had made a serious mistake. “Your Majesty is the embodiment of virtue, a sage, the son of the dragon, how could you be compared to ordinary mortals?”

“You don’t need to explain. I know you, this old fellow, disdain Yan Cai for his humble background…” The Emperor glanced coldly at Jiang Nan, then turned to look at Jiang Manyue, who had been standing innocently on the side, seemingly being bullied by Jiang Nan from start to finish.

He didn’t look at Jiang Nan again, instead, he asked Jiang Manyue, “The words you just said—about Yan Cai—were they sincere?”

“Every word I said was sincere and true.”

“Very well. I ask you, if I were to confer the title of Carefree Prince upon Yan Cai, granting him a lifetime of glory and no longer being looked down upon, would you be willing?”

“Naturally, I would be willing.” Jiang Manyue lifted his head, knowing that when the Emperor said this, there must be more to it than meets the eye. Sure enough, the Emperor followed up with another sentence.

“However, there is a price to pay.” The Emperor deliberately spoke slowly, watching Jiang Manyue’s reaction.

Jiang Manyue remained composed.

“If Yan Cai becomes the Carefree Prince, as you were married into his family, naturally, you would be a Princess. In our dynasty, Princesses do not interfere in political affairs. I want you to make a choice: either allow Yan Cai to rise in status and no longer be looked down upon, or you can no longer hold an official position and peacefully live as a good Princess…”

The Emperor squinted his eyes, revealing a cunning smile, like a mischievous child who had done something naughty, waiting for Jiang Manyue’s answer.

The Emperor’s question caught Jiang Manyue off guard, but he only hesitated for a moment before giving the Emperor a very straightforward answer. It was the Emperor who was left stunned, and he remained stunned for a long time.

He hadn’t expected Jiang Manyue to choose this answer without any hesitation, so he couldn’t help but stroke his beard and stare at Jiang Manyue closely. It seemed as though he wanted to see if Jiang Manyue’s eyes could reveal whether he truly made this choice sincerely or just to please him.

However, Jiang Manyue’s eyes were so sincere that the Emperor couldn’t detect any flaws.

So, was he truly sincere in making this choice?

A choice that was unfavorable to himself…